I Do
by Trunks lil' sis
Summary: While on vacation a touchy subject causes both Stan and Kyle to each have an epiphany. However reaching a mutual understanding is a work in progress. StanKyle


**Title: "I Do"**

**Author: Trunks Lil Sis**

**Summary: While on vacation a touchy subject causes both Stan and Kyle to each have an epiphany. However reaching a mutual understanding is a work in progress.**

**Rating: R For naughty language. **

**Author's Notes: This was supposed to be a nice little ficlet and it turned into this long ass thing that just wouldn't die. I suppose it would be fair to warn that because this is set around the year 1014, Stan, Kyle, Kenny and Eric are a bit OOC. But what do you expect? I have nothing to work with, so I've evolved the characters as I see them.**

**Pairing: Stan/Kyle**

**Warning: I have a grammar issue. Yes, I am a college student, but no, I am not majoring in English. I have a major problem with tense shifts, and I'm lacking a beat. That said, please ignore any grammar issues. To the best of knowledge I corrected as many as possible, but I'm sure there are some mistakes. **

**Part 1/1**

I Do:

"One day." Kyle began, stretching out on his beach towel. "One day we're going to get married." Laying on his stomach he folded his arms out in front of him and rested his head upon them. The sun beat down on his pale, white skin, and without suntan lotion he surely might have burned. In addition he had tossed his regular green snow hat to the side in favor of exposing his somewhat calmed red hair to the sun. He had read somewhere the sun strengthened the color--or was it that the sun faded color? Either way he was going all out. His hair and a lot of other things just seemed trivial when lying out on a beach in California, especially when his boyfriend was wearing very short swimming trunks.

Next to him, on a matching navy blue towel Stan laughed deeply. "Don't you think that's a bit presumptuous?" He quirked an eyebrow and knelt down next to the Jewish male.

Kyle gave his own muffled laugh. "Don't you want to marry me?" He hissed softly as Stan's hands began to knead his back in a very soothing motion. Stan gave the best massages.

"We're too young to begin with, Kyle. We're still in high school, and we have college to look forward to." He worked his boyfriend's shoulders firmly, noting the tension and knots. Kyle's lack of relaxation had always bothered him. Yes, Kyle was naturally intelligent, but his mother had brainwashed him into a constant study of sorts. Kyle was always occupied with remembering Calculus formulas, Chemistry element reactions, and he didn't go near the red-head during finals. He was insufferable at times, but Stan loved him all the same.

"Hmm," Kyle hummed, and Stan knew his ministrations were working.

"Not to mention it's illegal. We can't just run out to Las Vegas and get hitched."

"Not in Colorado," Kyle agreed, turning his head towards Stan. "But many different states are beginning to legalize homosexual marriages. Vermont and California started it nearly a decade ago, and then New York, New Jersey and Connecticut jumped in along with Washington. Integration isn't that far off, no matter how hard the conservatives and Republicans try to force their views upon the general public."

Stan flopped down next to Kyle, throwing an arm around the shorter boy's slim shoulders. He murmured something along the lines of, 'They are the general public', but instead said, "But not in Colorado."

"We don't have to stay in Colorado."

Frustrated, Kyle turned away from Stan. His green eyes roamed over the choppy waves of the Northern Californian coast. He caught site of Kenny splashing childishly, and then the usually hooded teen was jerked roughly under the water. Seconds later the blonde broke the surface, sputtering water, cursing Eric Cartman whom had appeared next to him.

"Alright," Stan tugged Kyle's attention back to him. "You're really sprung on this issue."

"No." In betrayal he sighed deeply and rolled over to sit up.

"Liar."

"I'm just tired," He said softly with a low rumble. "I hate that the government treats me like a second class citizen because I take it up the ass." He snapped this to Stan, his eyes blazing the anger and passion that his boyfriend craved. "I'm upset after nearly two decades of the gay right's movement, we aren't getting anywhere. If I want to marry you, I should be able to run right out and do it. It's total bullshit, Stan, and I'd appreciate it if you could back me for once. I get tired of fighting alone."

Stan sat up stiffly. "Why does this always come back to marriage?"

"I'm going for a swim." He rose from his towel quickly and was off trekking through the sand before Stan could interject anything else.

He chose a spot to swim away from Kenny and Eric. He needed time to think, as he always did after a quarrel with Stan. A swim, he deduced, would allow him to clear his mind. He could return to Stan without the threat of blowing up.

Really, he tried to understand Stan. He knew his boyfriend disliked change, extreme in either direction. He was comfortable and felt safe with the way things were at the time. He didn't have any real problems with the system as it was, and therefore had no need to change it. Stan didn't want to get married, so Kyle could understand why he could care less about the unjust laws. And, yes, stability in familiarity was nice and comfortable, but it just wasn't enough. He understood Stan, and now he wondered why Stan didn't understand him.

Still, he knew pushing Stan wasn't the way to go about anything. The star quarterback of South Park High would recoil and Kyle would be happy if they spoke in a week or so. He didn't know if Stan would ever come around to understand how he thought, but he could hope. Hope was dangerous and fragile but Kyle felt himself clinging to it. Stan's acknowledgment meant more to him than he had realized.

He had kicked out fairly far when he realized he was beginning to tire. The current was pushing him further outward and his arms were beginning to burn. Kyle was suddenly reminded of the opening scene in Jaws. He felt like the nude swimmer in the opening sequence and realized now that had not been the wisest choice for the previous night's movie. No matter how hard he kicked, the waves kicked back.

He opened his mouth to scream for help and found it was flooded with water. He was losing his battle, and sight of the shore. Then his head slipped completely below the water and only his hands were left waving frantically in air. Yet he knew Kenny and Eric were busy trying to annoy each other, and by now Stan was in hermit mode. He was officially screwed for help.

He managed one last powerful kick, via his second wind and managed Stan's name when he head surfaced. He hadn't time to check if his scream was heard or if anyone was coming to save him. However Kyle had managed another breath of air, and was good for another minute of life.

Then he was sinking. He was annoyed that he was sinking. He recalled his chemistry lessons and realized the building gas in his body ought to be sufficient as a life jacket. Of course that might have been the case if the current wasn't as strong and if he wasn't getting turned around. Weak attempts at kicks had turned him all around and he wasn't exactly sure what direction was up. Everything was dark and the last of his air slipped out.

In his last seconds he realized it didn't matter if Stan agreed with him. The fact of the matter was that Stan was there for him, through thick and thin. The male would defend him, and with Stan they wouldn't get pushed around for being queer. Stan was important to him, and his opinion was as well. Plus, conformity was so overrated.

It was rather like a fairy tale, Kyle would later realize. Sure, Stan hadn't come riding in on a white mare, but it was close enough. At the absolute last moment strong arms were around his upper chest and he was being hauled against the current to the surface. Those arms remained there as air flooded his lungs and he choked desperately on the Oxygen. He floated on his back and allowed Stan to propel the both of them toward the shore.

Kyle didn't complain when Eric Cartman carried him back to their rented beach house. Stan was choking himself in the sand from exhaustion. Stan was in no condition to attempt any other action that involved physical exertion, so Kyle endured the 'Stupid Jew' comments Eric bestowed upon him so graciously.

The rest of the night was a blur. He didn't remember who undressed him, or how he came to lay in his bed with Stan sitting quietly on the edge of the bed. There was a dark shadow over the normally bright boy's face and he had asked,. "Are you okay?" Kyle had managed a nod and had quickly fallen into dreams.

"I was thinking," Kyle tried, the following morning at breakfast (which consisted of leftover pizza). "How about we go into town? I saw a fairly large bookshop and I wanted to look around. That new Tom Wolfe book is out." Kenny had surprisingly agreed to come, while Eric had muttered about come girl he had seen before on the beach. Stan had been a given, Kyle realized, when he muttered something about a Tom Clancy book.

So the three boys piled into the dusty rental car Saturday morning. Kyle had opted to allow Stan the privilege of driving, claiming that he still felt off. In reality Kyle was becoming unnerved from Stan's mysterious and indescribable looks. The brunet would seem to be fine one moment, and then Kyle would register a deep and often dark look on his boyfriend's face. In order to avoid these looks he took a seat behind Stan and offered shot-gun to Kenny.

"What's that?" Kenny asked suddenly, snapping Kyle from his daze. He peered out the window of the car. "It looks like a rally or something."

Kyle shrugged, but he knew exactly what the people stood for. It wasn't hard to miss the huge gay pride flags, nor the signs that shouted "Freedom and Marriage for all" and "Marriage for Heteros should be the same for Homos.". Stan looked at him through the rearview mirror as they drove past and parked.

Swallowing deeply he flashed a toothy grin to Stan and Kenny. "You guys go on ahead, I'll be there in a second." He offered Kenny a wave and Stan a small peck on the lips before bounding over to the shouting people.

Kenny rolled his eyes. "He does this _every_ time." His tone indicated annoyance, but a smile proved otherwise. "I'll catch you inside, dude. Don't spend forever watching him, it's really stalker-ish."

Stan glared at him. Then Kenny wasn't worth his time, only Kyle was.

Yeah, he admitted, concerning Kyle was slightly stalk-ish. But the Jewish male was just extremely entertaining to watch, and beautifully breath taking. Currently he stepped to the side of the sidewalk and out of the way of pedestrians in order to watch Kyle closer. He couldn't help but smile at Kyle's antics. Kyle was bouncing happily on the heals of his feet, waving his arms colorfully. The woman he was speaking to seemed to be enchanted by him, which Stan didn't find surprising.

Kyle was passionate on his feelings. While Stan liked things standardized and formal, Kyle liked to be sporadic, and wasn't afraid of change. He made his opinions known, while Stan stood back and watched him. Kyle was brave, and he wasn't. At this, decided to put up a brave front and charge after his boyfriend. Plus, what the hell about change frightened him so much?

"We want equality for everyone," Stan caught as he neared Kyle and the group. "California and a selective other states aren't enough. We won't stop until the United States Government recognizes what equality means." Kyle was nodded furiously in acknowledgement, allowing a girl to pin a button on his jacket.

"I'm from Colorado," Kyle said as Stan stepped up next to him. "I hope one day I can get married up there, instead of being forced to move. I guess we're all hoping for equality."

Stan's hand came to rest on the small of Kyle's back and the male jumped slightly, whipping around to look at him. "Stan!" His green eyes lost their focus for a second as he attempted to explain his boyfriend's presence. "Did you need something?"

There was a sort of stand off. Indescribable looks flooded both faces, and neither seemed capable of emotion. Stan hadn't moved an inch, and Kyle, aside from his chest heaving, had copied him. Green met Blue and Kyle saw something quite different from normal. He could quite put his finger on it, but it certainly had changed Stan.

The hand from his back slipped up and around his shoulders, and Stan tugged Kyle into a soft embrace. Then moments later his lips were captured in a short, yet chaste kiss that Kyle craved. His head buzzed, his heart thumped and he wondered just what Stan was up to. "No." It took Kyle a few moments to realize Stan was answering his question. But if he didn't need anything why was Stan standing near him?

"Ah, Mia," Kyle stuttered over his words slightly, "This is Stan." He introduced the perky blonde to Stan.

"I'm his boyfriend." He punctuated this by tightening his hold on Kyle, leaving no room for mistake. "And _we're _from Colorado."

She seemed taken back for just a moment before fishing into her bag to retrieve a button. "Alrighty, welcome to California." Without warning she reached forward to grab the front of his Nirvana sweat shirt, and had in seconds successfully pinned a 'Gay Marriage Now!' button on him. Stan blinked at her audacity and Kyle blinked in amazement.

"Well, we'd better be going," Kyle stated, wondering just how long Stan could hold his cool against the extremely liberal bunch-- and specifically Mia.

The blonde girl giggled and shoved a bumper sticker at him with a small wave. "See ya, cutie. Thanks for the support." She handed Kyle a slip of folded paper and Stan glared at her.

Stan hadn't relinquished his grip on his boyfriend as they crossed the street, nor when they had entered the book store. They picked up exactly what they had come from, met up with Kenny and pilled back into the Chevrolet. Stan and Kyle did not speak of Mia or the protesting group. In fact, they didn't speak the whole way home, and not a word was uttered when they entered their beach house. But it was noted Stan maintained contact throughout the rest of the day.

Sunday morning was omniscient in many ways. It marked the last day of freedom they would have for a while. The following morning they'd start the long drive back to Colorado, whereupon they'd go their separate ways for the rest of the summer, only to meet again at school.

Eric had gone back down to the beach, still in search of his dream girl. Kyle very much doubted she actually existed, but he felt there was no real harm in indulging his friend, even if said friend was a total asshole. Kenny went on down to town again. Apparently he was really getting into the Indie-Rock scene and California had music that Colorado couldn't offer him. Not to mention Kyle was sure there was a female factor involved somewhere, probably the cute red-head he had seen coming out of that shop in uniform. Stan had taken to packing, realizing the familiar dilemma of coming home with far more than he had brought. That of course left Kyle alone, and to pass the time he chose to watch a movie, because there was no way anyone was getting him near the beach again.

Ironically they did not see much of each other on their final day together.

Sunday morning they piled into their car after carefully searching the house for any of their affects. When the all clear was given Stan started the car, and next to him in the passenger's seat Kyle was more than happy to leave. He truly did miss the snowy mountains and ice skating. California was brilliant, but it just wasn't home.

Predictably by the time they had reached Nevada Eric was snoring heavily and Kenny was drooling with his head pressed against his window.

"I'm sorry," Kyle said, feeling a nagging in his chest.

"About what?"

Kyle shrugged. "You know, about the gay marriage thing, and almost drowning and then Saturday when you had to get involved with Mia and everyone else, and mostly about our fight."

It really hadn't been that big of a deal. "Kyle, we're different, and that's okay. I enjoy being a self absorbed hermit, and you love being a politically involved, talkative brash type of person." He received a half glare from Kyle. "Anyway," He waved off. "The issue isn't that big of a deal. "

Kyle crossed his arms and Stan was ready to shove his foot in his mouth. He could kiss any attempt to con his boyfriend into sex that night, and probably for the rest of the summer. He had just gone through the whole issue in his head and had really promised himself he would make an attempt to be more considerate. Kyle felt gay rights and gay marriage was a very large issue, and he realized he ought to have respect for that.

"Damn, Stan, try to be a little considerate!"

Stan's foot slipped off the gas and the car slowed considerably. "Fuck it, Kyle, you're acting like it's the end of the world if some Republicans prohibit you from getting it up the ass in holy matrimony." That foot was just going further and further into his mouth.

"It matters to me, and that's should be enough for you."

They didn't speak for the rest of the trip.

Tuesday afternoon found Kyle lounging around in his room, catching up on some summer reading. His room was slightly messy with clothing yet to be unpacked. There was strong evidence that someone had been hunting for something, and Kyle was fed up with looking. Apparently his buttons, the paper Mia had given him and his bumper sticker was missing. It upset him, considering he wanted to slap that puppy on his car specifically to irritate his mother. His eyes narrowed and he had strong suspicions a certain quarterback might have purposely stolen the items.

Kyle sighed and tossed the latest issue of TIME to the side. He rolled over onto his stomach, very bored. He eyed his phone and couldn't stop himself from wondering just what Stan was doing. Finally he couldn't stand the silence of his room and he gathered his keys. He was going to march over to Stan's house and demand his bumper sticker back.

Stan was ignoring him, Kyle decided. His knuckles were beginning to hurt from knocking and he figured a person could only press a doorbell so many times. Apparently neither of his parent's were home, and he doubted Shelly would waste her break from college in South Park. Stan's green truck was parked in the driveway which meant the teen was home, and obviously just not answering the door.

He was about ready to give up when he heard Stan pop the locks and the door swung open. Stan and Kyle eyed each other for a few second before the later noticed Stan was balancing a phone between his ear and shoulder.

"Stan---" Sighing deeply he turned away, ready to call it quits and go pick on Ike, or at least take a nap.

"Wait a sec, Kyle," Stan reached out to stop his boyfriend. "I'm sorry, Mia, I'll have to call you back. Yes, I appreciate it, thank you."

Kyle gave him a curious look. "Mia? As in California-Mia?" No way, his intelligence argued with him. Yet Stan nodded as he ended the call and tucked the cordless phone into his palm. "You shit-face!" Kyle charged forward, shoving Stan back. "You stole my stuff!" Then his curiosity really did get the best of him and he calmed considerably. "Why were you stalking to her?"

Stan gave him a flippant look. "Just doing my homework. Wanna come in?"

"No." Kyle rested his hands on his hips. "I want my stuff back. The buttons, pins, flyers, Mia's number AND my bumper sticker."

Stan leaned forward and dropped a kiss onto Kyle's lips. "Tomorrow I'll have the stuff for you. I'm a little busy right now. I can't go hunt it all down."

With a scowl Kyle stepped back, refusing to allow Stan to charm him. "I want it all back, Stan. I dunno what you're doing with it, but it isn't cool or cute."

The next time Stan kissed Kyle it was much longer, and held fiery passion. His arms kept Kyle in his place and his tongue worked his boyfriend's over. All in all Kyle felt properly kissed.

"Tomorrow," He repeated.

"Tomorrow." Was the confirmation.

Kyle licked his lips and nodded. He folded his arms over his chest. "Alright, but you're bringing the stuff by my house." He gave in and allowed Stan another kiss before he was off jogging down the house's steps towards his car. "Hey, Stan," He turned back, finding the boy still at the door--and then something else caught his eye. Something was definitely wrong with Stan's truck, and the boy just looked far too smitten with himself. "Oh, my," he was nearly speechless when he noticed exactly what was wrong.

"Homo Marriage Now" Stan recited perfectly, reading off the bumper sticker--Kyle's bumper sticker, that was currently attached to the back of his truck.

"You--how--why--," Kyle fumbled in disbelief. Kyle wondered suddenly if Stan had put it up there just to annoy him, but then again that wasn't Stan's style, and then he wondered if his boyfriend was merely indulging him, and if that was the case he certainly did not appreciate it.

As if Stan knew, he easily replied, "Opinions change."

Mia. That bouncy blonde had actually gotten to Stanly Marsh, the unmovable of the unmovable. Yet the look Kyle was receiving seemed to say "you try arguing with her" and he believed it wholeheartedly.

Kyle wanted to laugh, that was if he could gain any kind of control over his face.

"Yeah, uh, we'll, I'm just going to head on home then." He jerked a thumb towards his car, eyes moving from the bumper sticker to Stan.

He had made it all the way to his car and Kyle really believed his legs weren't going to give out on him.

"Kyle!" Stan was waving at him and smiling. "Let's get through college first, and then we'll get to the 'I Do's'." Kyle wasn't sure what to think about that smile, but he feel himself blushing furiously.

He clutched his car for support and watched Stan disappear into the house. He really was rubbing off on Stan a little too much. But this wasn't the time to argue, nor the issue when it was in his favor. Kyle hummed softly to himself and climbed into his car. He started his engine and decided the bumper sticker could stay on Stan's truck.


End file.
